In-house counsel, Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office

George Guise has been in-house counsel to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office since 2019 after a career that included work as a state and federal prosecutor, general counsel to Davidson College and a civil litigator². He won the March 2026 Democratic primary for Superior Court District 26C, Seat 1, over Caleb Newman with 59.6 percent and is the only candidate on the November ballot³¹. This is a partisan race.

• In-house counsel, Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office, 2019 to present; civil litigation and criminal defense, Copeland Richards PLLC, 2017 to 2019; assistant U.S. attorney, Western District of North Carolina, 2010 to 2017; general counsel and other roles, Davidson College, 1999 to 2010; assistant district attorney, Mecklenburg County, 1995 to 1997; assistant district attorney, DeKalb County, Georgia, 1991 to 1995; civil litigation associate in Atlanta, 1990 to 1991²
• Volunteer judge, Mecklenburg County Teen Court, for about 15 years; member of the county's Criminal Justice Advisory Group executive committee²⁴
• B.A., Davidson College, 1987; J.D., Vanderbilt University School of Law, 1990²
• Has not held judicial office. He is seeking an open Superior Court seat and advanced from the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary, defeating Caleb Newman 59.6 percent to 40.4 percent; the Republican primary was canceled and no Republican filed³¹.